1. Know your upkeep cycles. Most structures need tuckpointing upkeep every 50 to 60 years.
2. Match the mortar. New mortar should match as carefully as possible in color, consistency, and elevation. Using excessive Portland cement in the mix creates tough mortars, which can damage old buildings.
3. Never grind out joints. Just deteriorated mortar should be gotten rid of. If somebody tells you otherwise, run.
4. Never use sealants. Sealers trap moisture, compounding issues throughout freeze/thaw cycles.
5. Change in kind. Damaged masonry units must be changed whole or by means of Dutchmen of the very same material. Voids filled with putty do not last.
-- Jacob Arndt, Preservation Consultant, Architectural Stone Carver
Radiators
6. Do not throttle a one-pipe steam radiator The steam and condensate need to share that confined area. Keep the valve either fully open or completely near to prevent water hammering and spraying air vents.
7. Produce an ideal pitch. One-pipe steam radiators should pitch towards the supply valve. Usage two checkers under radiator feet-- they're the ideal sizes and shape.
8. Gain control. Thermostatic radiator valves are a great method to zone any radiator and save fuel. Hot-water and two-pipe steam radiators get them on the supply side; one-pipe renovating a victorian house Montclair steam radiators get them in between the radiator and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/?search=Montclair Victorian Restoration the air vent.
Old radiator.
( Picture: Sylvia Gashi-Silver).
9. Get a fantastic finish. Pros agree that sandblasting followed by powder covering provides the best, lasting, non-sticky finish-- but do not attempt this at home.
10. Don't stress over fires. Even with steam heat, a radiator gets only about half as hot as the temperature level needed to kindle paper, so you can rest easy.
-- Dan Holohan, Author, The Lost Art of Steam Heating.
Woodworking.
11. Use heartwood. Heartwood is always the most disease-resistant. Sapwood of the majority of types must never be used.
12. Rift or quarter-grain cuts are best. These cuts are the most steady. Flat grain frequently expands and contracts seasonally at two times the rate of quartered stock.
13. Install plain sawn lumber with the heart side up. Flat lumber will wear much better with the heart dealing with up. If there's cupping, the edges will stay flat, and only the center will hump slightly.
14. Learn to utilize hand tools. Most historic woodwork was produced by hand tools, and the majority of industrial millwork (late 19th century and after) was installed with them. Historical woodwork surfaces produced with hand aircrafts can't be recreated by contemporary makers like sanders.
15. Use standard joinery. Element repairs ought to be used conventional joinery rather of non-historic techniques like a wholesale epoxy casting of a missing part.
-- Robert Adam, Founder and Senior Consultant, Conservation Woodworking Department, North Bennet Street School.
Slate Roof, renovating old homes.
Slate roofing on a turret, renovating old houses.
Slate roof on a turret. (Picture: Nathan Winter).
16. Determine your slate.To correctly care for your slate roofing system, learn what type of slate it is. Just as you can't repair a Chevy with Ford parts, you should never use New York red slate on a Pennsylvania gray slate roofing system.
17. Understand your roofing system's longevity. If your roofing system only has 100 years of durability and is 95 years old, it's unworthy sinking money into. But a roofing system with 200 years of longevity that's 75 years old is a young roofing system that needs to be highly valued and appropriately maintained.
18. Inspect your roofing system routinely. At least once a year, walk around your home (usage binoculars if needed) and look at your roof. If you see missing out on, broken, or moving slates, or flashing that looks suspect, call your slater.
19. Shop around for quality. Good slaters are out there, however you have to search for them. It deserves the effort to have somebody who truly understands what he's doing.